Car-couplings.



- No 668,53L: Patented Feb. l9, IBM.

3. N. LYON.

GAR COUPLING. (A ppliufion mediums-.6, 1900.)

(No Model) UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT N. LYON, OF ONETA, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO J. M. ROSE ANDJ. H. ROSE, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 668,531, datedFebruary 19, 1901.

Application filed June 6, 1900. Serial No. 19,248. \No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT N. LYON, acitizen of the United States,residing at Oneta, in the county of Leon and State of Texas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings; and I dodeclare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to car-couplers, and particularly to hook-and-catchcouplers.

One object is to provide a coupler of this character which willautomatically couple the cars, which can be readily uncoupled withoutgoing between the cars, and which when desired may be prevented fromcoupling.

A further object is to combine with the automatic coupler the ordinarylink-and-pin coupling to be used in case of emergency or when coupled toa car not provided with my automatic coupler.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in theconstruction and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of the meeting ends of two cars,showing them coupled. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one end of a carprovided with my improved draw-head and coupler; and Fig. 3 is alongitudinal vertical sectional view thereof taken through thecoupling-slot, showing the same covered.

In the drawings,1 denotes the draw-head of my improved coupler, having asliding engagement with the supporting-frame 2, rigidly connected to thecar. The rear portion of the coupling-head is reduced and slides betweenthe sides of the frame 2 and is limited in its movement by a pin 3,passing through the sides of the frame and through a slot 4 in thesquared portion 1 of the reduced end of the coupler. The inner reducedportion or stem 1 of the draw-head is cylindrical and passes through acircular orifice in the rear wall of the frame 2.

4 denotes a spring coiled around the stem 1 of the draw-head andconfined between the rear wall of the frame 2 and the shoulder formed bythe cylindrical stem and the square reduced portion of the coupler, thisspring acting as a buffer for the draw-head.

The forward end of the draw-head is inclined or beveled off for apurpose hereinafter to appear.

5 denotes the coupler-hooks,pivoted in the upper side of the draw-headand to one side of the center thereof.

6 denotes a leaf-spring having one end connected to the draw-headimmediately in the rear of the coupling-hook and having its free endbearing upon the top of said couplinghook to press the same down intoclose engagement with the coupling-head of the adjoining car.

7 denotes the catch-openings formed in the upper sides of the draw-head,having a forwardly and downwardly inclined bottom 7 and a front verticalwall 7".

8 denotes covering-plates pivoted to swing laterally, so that thecatch-openings may be opened or closed when desired.

. 9-denotes operating levers or rods the horizontal portions 9' of whichare journaled in bearings or hangers 10, fixed on the end of the car.The rods 9 are formed about midway their lengths with loop extensions 9which pass around and beneath the cou plipg-hooks, as shown. Thehorizontal portions 9 of the rods 9 extend the full width of the carsand are provided at their outer ends with downwardly-dependingcrank-arms 9 so that upon raising said arms the loop portions 9 are alsoraised, carrying with them the coupling-hooks 5, and thereby uncouplingthe cars.

12 denotes a longitudinal opening or slot formed in the forward end ofthe couplingheads, and 13 denotes a vertical opening passing through thecoupling-head in line with the slot 12. These openings provide for thereception of the ordinary link-and-pin coupling. (Not shown.) The hole18, opening through the inclined bottom of the catch 7, allows rain andwater to drain from said slot, which would otherwise fill up and in coldweather freeze solid, and thereby prevent proper working of thecoupling-hooks.

In operation when the cars are brought together for coupling the forwardinclined ends of the coupling-hooks ride up the forward inclined ends ofthe draw-heads against the tension of the springs 6 and are forcedthereby into the catches 7, coupling the cars. When it is desired touncouple the cars, the coupling-hooks are raised out of engagement withthe catches by means of the operatingrod, as hereinbefore described.

Should it he desired for any reason that the cars be prevented fromcoupling when coming together, the cover-plates 8 are swung around overthe catch-openings, thereby closing the same. Now when the cars cometogether the coupling-hooks will ride up the inclined end of thedraw-head and over the cover-plate, which prevents the same fromentering the catches and coupling.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and operation of my improvedcoupler will be readily understood and a further description of the sameis not deemed necessary.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction maybe resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

In a car-coupler of the class described, the combination of thedraw-head having a beveled forward end and provided in its upper sidewith a catch-opening which communicates with a vertical aperture 13passing through the draw-head and intersected by a longitudinal opening12 extending through the beveled end of the draw-head, thecoupling-hook, the leaf-spring engaging said 0011 pling-hook, theoperating-rod provided with a loop for engaging said coupling-hook,crankhangers actuating said rod and loop, and the pivoted cover-plateadapted to cover said catch-opening and thereby prevent the saidcoupling-hook from engaging said catch-opening, substantially as setforth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

ROBERT N. LYON.

\Vitnesses:

D. T. GARTH, R. E. BURRoUcHs.

